Adjustable car-brace for cars.



GL0. BOLLE R, 0. H. BLEMER & s. K. CLEMENT. ADJUSTABLE OAR BRAGE FOR CARS. APPLICATION PILED'AUG.1, 1911,

1,049,655. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

- fibenzors; I mil/asses; g 53 11 6325'. 1y. Blair/er e/ Sefyle; J1. (Ye/Ire! ld i G. 0. BOLLER, G. H. BLEMER & S. K. CLEMENT. ADJUSTABLE GAR BRAGB FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1911.

1,049,655, A Patented Jan.7,1913.

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G. c. BOIIZER, 0. H. BLEMER & s'. K. CLEMENT. ADJUSTABLE GAR BRAGB' FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED AUGfl 1911.-

, 1,049,655 f Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I To all whom it may concern UNITED Q enoaon c. roman, cnannns H. 3mm, x. ctnnnfir, or toomfs", CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOBS or ouE-rounrn r GEORGE w. .IBISBEE, osmawcas'rtn,

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ADJUSTA LE can-Brass r03 cans.

Application filed August 1, 1911. ll'o. 641,705.

Beit known thatwe, GEoRGn C. Bonita, CHARLES H. BLEMER, andS'rYLEs K. CLEM- rhwr, citizens of the United States, residing at Loomis, in the county of Placer and State of California,'have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Car-Braces for Cars, of .which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an adjustable bulkhead for cars, and particularly pertains to a bulkhead or partition for refrigerator cars for retaining stacked fruit boxes, crates, and the like, in position therein.

It is the object of th1s invention to provide a bulkhead for cars, which is so constructed and arranged that it may be adjusted to any desired position in the car against a stack of fruit boxes, crates, andthelike, to prevent shifting of the latter when the car is being moved from place to place.

Another objectis to provide an adjustable bulkhead for cars, which is adapted to'be swung into a horizontal position against the roof of the'car when it is desired to use the car for shipping such freight as does not req ire the employment of the bulkhead.

Another object is to provide a structure of the abovecharacter, which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, strong and durable, and which can be readily installed in most refrigerator or'freight cars new generally in use:

Further objects, together with the advantages derived by the use of this -invention, will be disclosed in the following specifics; .tion..""--'.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described andclaimcd, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichi Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a refrigerator car, showing the invention as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line sectionon the line YY Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail section on the. line Z-Z of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlargedvertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing indotted lines several positions assumed by the bulkhead.

gig-.6 1s a section on the line WW of X-X Fig. 1, showing the 'bulk-' head in front elevation. Fig. 3is a' detailbind the latter. against .means is here shown" as consisting of horizontally disposed bell-crank levers l0, pivotally m n d.

.In the dra ngs repr s nts a refrig v.

ator car, of anysuitable construction, and 2 indicates the rails of an overhead track, mounted within thecar adjacent the ceiling thereof, on which rails carriages 3 are adapted to travel lengthwise of the car.

Plvotally mounted on each of the carriages 3 is a hanging rod 4, the free end of which is bent at right angles and is perforated to form an eye through which a second rod 5 passes. The upper end of the rod 5 is also bent at right angles and is provided with a Patented J an. '7, 1913.

perforation through which the rod 4 passes.

' The rods 4 and 5 thus form telescoping members or hangers, on the outer ends of which is carried a bulkhead comprised of a pair of parallel spaced timbers 6, which are horizontally disposed and extend crosswise of the car A approximately the full width thereof, and on which timbers a series of vertical slats 7 are arranged. 4

The rods'5 are engaged with the upper timber 6', adjacent to the outer ends thereof, and support. the bulkhead .clear of the floor of the car when the bulkhead is suspended in-a normal vertical position. The slats 7.

are divided about midway of their length and the two; portions thus formed are connected together by means of hinges 8 in such manner that the lower section of the bulkhead can be folded againstthe back of the upper section, as indicated in dotted lines at B in Fig.5, so as to admit of the bulkhead being swung upward or downward on the pivotal mounting of. the rods 4. and clear the tiers of crates or boxes stacked adjacent to the'back of the bulkhead. The telescoping hangers 4.5 permit of the bulkhead being moved upwardly or downwardly so that it. may be readily disposed in or removed from the front of the stacked crates. Any number of these bulkheads may be suspended from the overheadtra'ck in a car A as may be found desirable,'two being shown in this case, one on each side of the entrance doors or openingsQ provided in the sides of the Means are provided for locking the bulkheads in their vertical positions to the inner sides of the car at any point throughout the length thereof and for forcing them rearwardlv againstathe stacks of-crates to firmly movement. This on the outer'ends of the tim- 45 Q trated at C in 1. The tiers ofboxes-are arranged in rows extending laterally across I here 6, which levers form dogs, and are which are slidably mounted on tracks 14 provided on the walls of the car A for that purpose. The tracks 14 are arranged on the inner face of the side walls of the car adjacent to the ends of the timbers 6 on the bulkhead; one set of tracks 14- being disposed near the floor of the car and the other '20 formed in the brackets 12.

set arranged approximately midway between the floor and the ceiling thereof, as shown inFigs. 2 and 5respectively, The carriage 13 is designed to be rigidly retained against forward movement on the track 14 by means of a pawl 15 mounted thereon, which pawl engages ratchet teeth 16 formed on the track 14; a spring 17 normally retaining the pawl 15 in engagement with the'teeth 16, as shown in Fig. 4. A pin 18 on the pawl 15 extends outwardly therefrom and is provided as a means for manually releasing the pawl from engagement with the ratchet so as 'to admit the carriage 13 being moved in a forward direction on the tracks 14. v

Each of the clevises 11 is-adjusted' on its respective bracket 12 by means of a pin 19,. which is adapted to pass through the clevise 11 and any one of a series of perforations Pivotally connected to each bell-crank lever 10 is a connecting-rod 21, which extends toward the center of the bulkhead parallel to the timbers 6, as shown in Fig. 2, the ends of the rods 21 connectiii with lever handles 22 above and below t e pivotal center 23 thereof, asshown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the invention a series r of tiers or stacks, of fruit boxes crates, and

the like,are loaded in the car A and are arranged therein in the usual manner, illusthe car A and longitudinally thereof. When the desired number of stacks have been placed in one end of the car the bulkheadis positioned against. the face of the outermost tier, as shown in Fig. 1', the bulkhead being moved to the desired position by means of the carriages 3 on the overhead rails 2.

The carriages 13 are adjusted on the tracks 14 so as to dispose the clevises 11 on the brackets 12 in engageable relation with the bell-crank levers 10 'mounted'on the timber 6 ofthe bulkhead. The bell-crank levers 10 are then engaged with the clevises 11, as-

' shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the lever hairdies 22 are rocked in the direction of the arrows zin Fig. 2, which action exerts a pull upon the connecting-rods '21, which in turn pull upon the bell-cranklevers 10 in such manner as to cause the bulkhead to move rearwarda short distance and thereby bear-tightly against the stacked boxes and securely retain them against movement.

' When it is desired to remove the bulkhead from in front of the stacked boxes, the levers 22 are restored to thevertical position which releases the tension on the rods 21 and the levers 10 so that the clevises 11 can be released from the latter. The bulkhead is then-moved upward on the hanging rod 4.- and its lower section is folded upward against the back of .the upper portion thereof so that the bulkhead may be swung over the top of the uppermost boxes in the stack, in which position it is retained by means of a hook 2 1, which is engaged with an eye, or other engaging member,-on the ceiling or walls of the car. If there-is sufficient clear space in front of the stacked boxes, the bulkhead may be swung forwardly on the pivotal mounting of the hanger 4 and be supported against the ceil ing of the car by the hook 24:, or a similar device. 1

By the use of this invention the car A may be loaded with boxes, crates,'or the like, for any desired portion of its length and the boxes held securelyagainst movement by clamping the bulkhead thereagainst as described. This enables the shipper to load a fraction of a carload, and ad-- mits of portions of the shipment being delivered at various points; thebulkhead being sw-ung against the ceiling of the;,car to admit. of theremoval of the desired part of the shipment and then restored in itsclamping position against the outermost tier of the remainder of the load.

By arranging a bulkhead and its attachments on each side of the --car door 9 each end of the car may be packed and unpacked independent of the other and by providing thearms 12 and carriages 13 the former 110 will act as side rails and extensions to the track 14, which admits of the boxes, crates, etc., being stacked in front of thiedoor openings 9; the arms 12 being adapted to ex- .tend beyond the edge of the door openings, 11:: as shown in Fig.1. 7

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- V V 1. The combination with a car, of an over- 120 head track therein, a bulkhead suspended from said track and adapted to travel therea on, and means for locking the bulkhead against movement, said means including bell-crank levers on the bulkhead and 1.25 'clevises on the car-engaged by-the levers. 0

2. Thecombination with a car, of overhead tracks therein, carriages. adapted to travel on said tracks, a bulkhead suspended rom said carriages to travel-therewith, and; 1,30

25,,and means means forlocking the bulkhead against movement, said 'means including bell-crank levers on the bulkhead and clevises .on thecar engaged by, the levers. I

3. The combination with a car, of overhead tracks therein, carriages movable on said tracks, a bulkhead pivotally suspended from said carriages, and'means' for locking the bulkhead against movement, said means including bell-crank levers on the bulkhead and clevises on the car engaged by the levers. '4. The combination with a car, of overhead tracks therein, carriages movable on said tracks, telescoping hangers pivoted to said carriages, a bulkhead extending cross- .'.wi'se of the car carried by said hangers, and f means for locking the bulkhead against movement.

5. The combination with a car, of tracks along theupper sides of the can-carriages pivoted. to said, carriages, a bulkhead exthe car carried by said tendingcrosswise of hangers, tracks on the lower sides of the -car, carriages movable on said lower tracks, .3 a and means for. engagingthe bulkhead with said last named carriages.

7. The combination with a car, of tracks along the upper sides of the car, carriages. movable on said tracks, telescoping" hangers 40 piuoted to said carriages, a bulkhead extend- I ing crosswiseof the car carried by said hangers, tracks" on the lower sides of ,the

on said lower tracks,

car, carriages movable means forengaging the bulkhead with said last named carriages, and means for locking the last named carriages against movement ontheir respective: tracks.

A 8. The combinat on with a car, of tracks along the upper-sides of -the car, carriages '50 movable on said tracks, telesco ing hangers pivoted tosald carriages, a: ulkhead ex- 'means includinga pawlon each carriage fframe, means for clamping the against stacked materials in the car,

said frame, adjustable members tending crosswise of the car carried by said hangers, tracks, on the lower sides of the car, carriages movable on said second-named tracks, means for engaging" the bulkhead with said last named carriages, and means for locking the last named carriages against movement on their respective tracks, said and ratchet teeth on the tracks.

9. An adjustable bulkhead for cars, con-. sisting of a frame extending laterally across the car, means formovablysupportmg said said means including bell-crank levers on the frame 'and pivoted clevises on the car engaged by said levers, and means for. locking the frame against movement in its clamped position. i 10. An adjustable bulkhead for-cars, con-- sisting of a frame extending laterally across .thecar, means for movably supporting said frame,

means for clamping the frame against stacked materials in the car, means for locking the frame against movement in its clamped position, said framebeing formed of sections hinged together, whereby the sections may be folded one relatively to the other, said sections being foldable against the ceiling -of the car and attached thereto.

,11. An adjustable bulkhead for cars, con sisting of a frame extending laterally across the car, carriages'from which the frame is pivotally suspended, tracks on which said carriages 'are adap frame ted to travel, dogs on on the car for engaging said dogs, and meansfor actuating said dogs to "clamp the frame against stacked articles in the car and retain theframe against movement. v

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands .in the presence 'of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE C. BOLLER.-

CHAS. H. BLEMER.

STYLES -K'. CLEMENT Witnesses: 1 7

' J. SADDLER,

-' S. 'Konmm. 

